Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Death of "one-size-fits-all"

By Connie S. Hall

Wave goodbye to the time of “one-size-fits-all” – it’s gone. No longer in today's competitive marketplace can you be all things to all people. From home building, clothing, and music, people are now getting what they want. Today customization is a well-known part of the consumer life. Writing is no exception.

We live in an extremely diverse society, and there’s no way we’re all going to agree, even if some of us (me) are right about the best way to do things. Suppose you know with complete confidence that there is a fad diet that works. Would that justify forcing cabbage soup or grapefruit down unwilling throats?

Most publishers read piles and piles of stories. They'd rather be doing almost anything else, especially after they've seen too many of the same type of story. After they read your “one-size-fits-all” cover letter, they will probably put it in the recycle bin or the delete box, and never consider it again.

Publishers want to hear from writers who invest the time and energy necessary to customize their story and cover letter. You shouldn’t write the same as everyone else. You need to have your own style, and make your story stand out. If you write a “one-size-fits-all” story, it might mean your own writing death.

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Once upon a time, a group of new writers got together and started this blog about their struggles, their aspirations, and their quest to become published authors.

Now, the better part of a decade later, we've been around awhile. We've learned far more , done more, and gone farther than we ever imagined we would!

Some joined us, some moved on, some became the published authors they always wanted to be, and some are still in the grind.

This is the record of where we've been, a textbook of what's been learned and a heartfelt memoir of experiences shared. Though the writers have moved on, the archives are here for you to peruse, and hopefully you'll find something in them to help, encourage and uplift.